Arsenal round-up: Club to switch attention to Algerian; Tottenham pull out of race; Ligue 1 midfielder linked

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The Telegraph report that Arsenal have had bids for Alexandre Lacazette and Thomas Lemar turned down, which could lead to them switching their attention to Riyad Mahrez. Talks with Lyon over Lacazette are progressing, but Monaco have shown little interest in losing either Kylian Mbappe or Lemar who are two of the Gunners’ priority targets for this summer. The club have now taken fresh soundings on Mahrez, who would be keen on a move as he wants to move to a bigger club before the new season.

It remains early in the window and there is no need for the club to panic yet, but with pre-season set to begin shortly, they will want to make progress in the market. The start of July marks the new financial year and transfers are likely to accelerate once that passes. In terms of Mahrez, he has the potential to be a good signing for the Gunners and he would provide an exciting attacking option for Arsene Wenger to use. He showed what he is capable of during the 2015/16 campaign, but there are doubts regarding his ability to produce that level of performance on a consistent basis.

As stated above, Thomas Lemar is one of the club’s priority summer targets after his superb season with Monaco, in which he helped the club win the Ligue 1 title. The Mirror report that the Gunners’ have received a boost in their pursuit of the attacker, as Tottenham have pulled out of the race to sign him. Spurs had no interest in being drawn into a bidding war and fear that the price could approach the £43 million that Monaco received for Bernardo Silva.

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This is good news for Arsenal, as it means they face less competition for his signature. It won’t be easy for the club to finalise the transfer, but they are certainly leading the way and given the finances that they do possess, there is a good chance that this happens. The problem is Monaco’s stance as they are desperate to keep hold of the Frenchman for at least one more season. That said, there is a long way to go in this transfer window and this is a saga that is likely going to run and run.

Finally, it appears that Arsenal will be focusing on the French market this summer, given their long standing interest in Nice’s Jean Michaël Seri, as reported two months ago by The Guardian. Roma were thought to be one of the favourites to land him, but now, Guardian journalist Ed Aaron has suggested the Rossoneri had been unwilling to meet his reported €40 million (£35m) release clause. Last season, he contributed seven goals and nine assists in the league, helping his side to a Champions League finish.

It remains to be seen how serious the interest in Seri is, but there is no denying that he would be a great signing for the club if they did make a move. He was superb to watch at times and he would improve the Arsenal midfield immensely, as they have lacked an attacking presence in the middle of the park. It is a position that needs to be looked at this summer, but the attack is a bigger priority and it could be this is a deal that is revived later in the window, once the priority targets are signed.

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